Challenge for yr Tuesday:
Stop measuring! At times when we are under pressure (affectionately known as The Red Zone) we can be hijacked by thoughts of constantly assessing if others are ‘measuring up’ to our ideal standards , or measuring how much we are giving or getting out of things, or even measuring our own performance, character, how ‘yogic’ we are!.
This makes sense when we are in The Red Zone as our threat detectors are on high alert the more pressure we are under. The thing is constantly measuring others up or yourself up against ideal standards in my experience causes more tension. Measuring (once I realised I was doing it) turns out to be one of my not so useful habits even though high standards can be useful. Constantly measuring increases the mind grooves of threat detecting, signalling there’s always a ‘perceived’ threat. It’s a pretty strong groove that can eventually wear you out or have you feeling disconnected. (We’ve forgotten our practice of ‘yoga’ harnessing the mind to dwell in the present moment of what’s happening ‘now’ ) As soon as we are ‘measuring’ we are generally recalling something (the mind turns away from the present moment)
to measure things against (generally our own ideals / affectionately called rules; or comparison)
The yogis call this ‘turning away’ of the mind Citta Vrttis
The goal of Yoga is to pull the strands of the mind to the present moment. This is because the yogis realised that our practice of Yoga can help us to deconstruct the habits of mind that causes suffering.
Ive personally come to realise one of these habits is ‘constantly’ measuring
Yes there are times we need to discern and make sure others don’t harm us or harm others we love or even harm that which we have worked hard for (ahimsa ~ to do no harm, which is the first of the yamas in yoga) . Mindfulness Meditation helps us move from the Red to the Green Zone where we can see clearly (discern reality) . The parts of the brain that come to the Green Zone Party are the parts that govern compassion, love, connection, forgiveness etc.
It helps to learn how to be in the green zone to manage the red zone (even red zone behaviours of others who maybe measuring what they can get, simply because they are in a form of fight flight) and we all know what being in red zone feels like don’t we!?. So the great thing about red zone is, being in it can teach us we are just like everyone else. We are no better no worse so there is no need to measure. Stop measuring !
Step 1 when you find yourself about to measure, PAUSE
and simply NOTICE what gives you pleasure
Know that you’re breathing in.
Know that you’re breathing out.
Happy Tuesday Namaste ? xox Tammy
(ps for those who saw previous Instagram post titled “Stage 1” of the Undercover Yogi (tammy_yoga_nrg)
this is STAGE 2?) “The Measurer”
?Next Mindfulness Intro Courses commencing soon!
Book now for Gladstone click here
Book now for Sunshine Coast 4 Week Introductory Course – click here
or online Mindfulness Mentoring with Tammy Williams contact support@yoga-nrg.com p: 0439 418 571
Gympie – contact support@yoga-nrg.com for details.
New Zealand February 2017 – contact support@yoga-nrg.com for details.
#creating #undercoveryogi #mindfulness #offthemat #yogaeverydamnday